Electric terminal strip



June 27, 1961 E. J. NIELSEN ELECTRIC TERMINAL STRIP Filed Sept. 23, 1957 5 3 H n U hi u m H n M @U 8 m U INVENTOR. ERI K J. NIELSEN United States Patent 9 F 2,990,534 ELECTRIC TERMINAL STRIP Erik J. Nielsen, Thiensville, Wis, assignor to Square D Company, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed Sept. 23, 1957, Ser. No. 685,681 3 Claims. (Cl. 339-198) This invention relates to terminal strips and is more particularly concerned with an improved arrangement for maintaining a plurality of individual terminal blocks in position on a mounting channel.

When terminal strips of the type described in application Serial No. 585,345 filed May 16, 1956 are utilized, difliculties in maintaining transverse alignment between the individual blocks frequently occur when the strip contains a large number of blocks. For example, it has been found that when the number of blocks approximates eighteen, the interlocking arrangement between the individual blocks will no longer maintain the segments in alignment and will cause the strip to bow and have a somewhat unsightly appearance. It is to alleviate this unsightly appearance and to maintain the individual segments in proper position on the mounting channel that the present invention is directed. This result is accomplished by utilizing means consisting of one or more members which are positioned intermediate the ends of the strip in frictional engagement with the channel and in engagement with one or more of the individual segments. These means or members will maintain the segments in proper transverse alignment relative to the mounting channel while the clamping means maintain the segments longitudinally thereon.

It is an object therefore of the present invention to maintain transverse alignment between the individual terminal blocks when a plurality of the blocks are assembled on a longitudinally extending channel.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a means in a terminal strip assembly which will maintain the individual terminal blocks which are assembled on a U-shaped channel in transverse alignment on the channel.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a means in a terminal strip assembly which will maintain the individual terminal blocks in transverse alignment on a channel while permitting the blocks to be removed individually from the channel.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a terminal strip of intermediate length which is composed of individual terminal blocks interlocked with one another at adjacent sides thereof and clamped together against sliding movement on a U-shaped channel with a means which will frictionally engage the inner surface of the channel and engage at least one of the blocks for maintaining said interlocked blocks against transverse movement on the channel while permitting any one of the individual blocks to be individually removed from the channel by transversely moving the block to be removed relative to the channel when said clamping means are loosened.

Further objects and features of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the specification and appended drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a terminal strip incorporating the holding means according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the terminal strip in FIG. 1 incorporating a sectional view taken along line 11 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view of one side of a terminal block taken substantially along line 2-2 in FIG. 1.

Patented June 27, 1961 FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the holding means or block as used in the strip in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a view of the reverse side of the terminal block in FIG. 3.

The terminal strip as shown in FIG. 1 is more completely described in the application mentioned supra. This terminal strip comprises an assembly of a plurality of individual terminal block units 2 supported on a channel 3 and clamped against longitudinal movement on the channel 3 by a pair of end clamps 4 and 5.

The individual terminal block units 2 are preferably constructed of a molded insulating material to provide a vertical body portion of barrier 6 generally toward one side thereof and a pair of integral horizontal body portions 7 and 8. The body portions 7 and 8 are located to provide a space therebetween. The bottom surface of body portion 7 is provided with an extending groove 9 while the top surface of body portion 8 is provided with a pair of spaced T-shaped slots 10. The bottom surface of *body portion 8 has a single T-shaped slot 11. The side of the block along which the barrier 6 extends is provided with a pair of extending ribs 12 which are arranged on the side of the blocks to extend into the slots 10. The barrier 6 is also provided at its top with an inverted T-shaped slot 14 immediately above the :body portion 7. In the space between the upper and lower surfaces of the body portions 7 and 3 respectively, an electrically conducting connector 16 is positioned. The connector 16 is provided with a raised rib 15 along its upper surface which is received in the groove 9 to provide alignment and position the connector 16 within the block after as well as before the block is assembled with other blocks on the channel 3. The terminal screws 18 which are threaded through the pierced and tapped holes in the connector are arranged to extend in the T-shaped openings 10. These terminal screws are provided for electrically connecting conductors to the terminal strip. Each of the blocks 2 is provided with a groove 19 which is located as shown to extend upwardly from the T-shaped groove 11. The purpose of the groove 19 will become hereinafter apparent. The individual terminal blocks 2 when placed side .by side in alignment will form the composite terminal strip with the individual blocks 2 interconnected with each other through cooperation of the ribs 12 with the slots 10. The vertical barriers 6 of the adjacent blocks 2 are arranged to enclose and separate the adjacent connectors 16 with a wall of insulating material.

To terminate a row of individual terminal blocks 2 in the formation of the composite terminal strip an intermediate spacer unit 21 is provided having a vertical barrier 22 with a T-shaped slot to receive the channel and a pair of extending ribs 24 on both sides of the barrier 22. The ribs 24 cooperate with the grooves 10 of the adjacent individual terminal blocks 2 when one or more of the blocks are reversed with respect to the others as shown in FIG. 2 to direct the grooves 10 in the reversed block 2 in the opposite direction from the grooves of the other adjacent terminal block.

It is to be appreciated that while in FIG. 2 the spacer block 21 is positioned adjacent the end of the strip and only one end block 2 is shown as reversed, the spacer may be located at any position along the strip roviding the blocks on one side of the spacer are faced opposite to the blocks on the other side of the spacer 21. The individual terminal blocks 2 are held against longitudinal movement on the channel 3 by means of the end clamps 4 and 5. These clamps, not constituting a feature of the present invention, are more thoroughly described in application supra, and will prevent lateral sliding of the blocks 2 with respect to the channel. When the clamps 4 and 5 and blocks are assembled on the channel and the screws 1 V V 3 V 50"of the clamps are tightened, the blocks 2 will be securely held against longitudinal movement.

7 The terminal strip may be also provided with an indicia strip 41 which may be passed through the slots 14 in the individual units after the blocks have been assembled on the channel. The indicia strip 41 'will provide a surface upon which the identification maybe made for each of the terminal strip sections. This strip may constitute a sheet of. flexible material which is passed through the crossbar portion of the T-shaped slots 14 andmay be held in place by the resilient rivet-like members 42 which are provided with an oversize head portion thatis aligned with the crossbar portion of the slot in the individual terminal block units. The rivet-like'members 42 each have stem portions, not shown, which are secured in a properly located opening 42A in the terminal blocks to provide a stop against the removal of the indicia strip.

m been specifically disclosed, it is understood that the in- It is clear from FIG. 3 of the drawings that the T- U shaped slots 11 in the individual blocks 2 are appreciably wider than the overall width of the channel 3. The clearance was provided, as. pointed out in the application mentioned supra, to permit the individual blocks 2 to be re moved from the strip assembly without disturbing the remaining blocks. The removal of the individual blocks is accomplished by loosening one or both of the end clamps 4 or 5 and spreading the blocks to break the interlock as caused by the ribs 12 of the block and then transversely moving the block to be removed relative to the channel 3.

It has been found when the. length of the terminal strip becomes excessively large, the individual blocks in the mid-portion of the strip will tend to have an undesirable transverse movement relative to the channel. This transverse movement, which was initially provided to permit removal of the individual blocks 2 from the channel,

The positioning means shown in FIG. 4 comprises a stop or block 51 which is preferably molded of a suitable material such as nylon to have the shape as shown. The block 51 is dimensioned to tightly engage the internal surface of the channel. To aid in this tight engagement, the ribs 52 are disposed on the periphery of the block 51. The ribs 52 will be slightly deformed when the block is positioned in the channel as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings. The block 51 also has a raised portion or lug 53 on its top surface. This lug 53 will be received inv the groove 19 of at least one and preferably two of the individual adjacent blocks as shown in FIG. 2 to center the block in which lug 53 is receivedrelative to the channel. The block 51 is preferably positioned on the channel intermediate the clamping means to maintain the midportion of the terminal strip in position relative to the mounting channel. When the parts of the terminal strip- 2 are assembled, the block 51 is positioned betweenthe arms of the U-shaped channel 3 as clearly shown in FIG. 3. The position of the member 51 longitudinally in the channel 3 is clearly illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings. The block 51 is installed in the channel 3 either before or after. the segments 2 are positioned on the channel and before the longitudinal clamps 4 and 5 are secured. Thus all that is required to position the block in the channel is that one ofthe clamps 4 or 5 are loosened and the corresponding terminal blocks are separated to provide a space through which the block may be installed in position in the channel. It is apparent that if the terminal strip 1 is abnormally long, for example, if the number of terminal blocks exceeds twenty four, it may be desirable to use more than one strategically located blocks 51 to position the terminal blocks 2 in position on the channel. While a preferred embodiment of the invention has vention is not limited thereto, as many variations will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and the invention is to be given its broadest possible interpretation within the terms of the following claims:

What is claimed is:

1. In a terminal strip, the combination comprising; a plurality of identical individual nestable terminal blocks each having a T-shaped groove along a bottom surface, a U-shaped channel member securable to a support having longitudinally extending edges receivable in the T- shaped groove for assembling the nested individual blocks into a longitudinally extending strip, a second groove in the base of eachof the blocks extending into the T- shaped groove, means engageable with said channel and the end blocks of the strip for longitudinally maintaining the blocks in position on the channel, and means engageable with the channel and the second groove in at least one of the blocks for transversely positioning the blocks on the channel.

2. In a terminal strip, the combination comprising; a U-shaped channel having a bight portion securable to a support and oppositely extending outwardly projecting flange portions continuously extending along the top edges of the channel, a plurality of individual nestable terminal blocks each having; a main groove in a bottom surface for loosely receiving the outwardly projecting flange portions of the channel and a second groove extending into the main groove, said blocks beinglongitudinally and transversely movable on the channel and arranged for being assembled side by side in a row along the channel, a pair of clamps each engageable with the channel and positioned at the respective ends of the row of blocks for longitudinally maintaining the blocks side by side on the channel and a separate block positioned between the ends of the row of blocks and sized to engage the interior of the channel with a press fit engagement and the second groove in at least one of the blocks for transversely positioning the block in engagement therewith on the channel.

3. In a terminal strip, the combination comprising; a plurality of mateable individual terminal blocks each having a groove in the bottom surface thereof and arranged for being assembled side by side to form a row of blocks, a U-shaped channel having a bight portion securable to a support and a pair of oppositely extending outwardly projecting flange portions continuously extending along the top edges of the channel which are arranged to be loosely received in a portion of the grooves of the blocks for movably positioning the blocks transversely and longitudinally on the channel, a pair of clamps positioned on the ends of the row of blocks for longitudinally positioning the blocks on the channel, and a separate block positioned with a press fit engagement in the channel between the ends of the row of blocks and engaging the interior of the Ushaped channel and another portion of the groove in at least one of the individual blocks for transversely positioning the block in engagement therewith on the channel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS France Sept. 1, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No, 2,990,534 June 27 I961 Erik J, Nielsen It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below Column 1,, line 47 for "intermediate" read indeterminate column 2 line 13, for "of" read or --3 line 62, for "roviding" read providing Si ned and sealed this 21st day of November 19610 (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents USCOMM-DC 

